Works of John Bunyan – The Greatness of The Soul, And Unspeakableness 0f the Loss Thereof; What Shall A Man Give In Exchange For His Soul.99

 

"AND IF ANY MAN SIN, WE HAVE AN ADVOCATE WITH THE FATHER, JESUS CHRIST THE RIGHTEOUS."—-I JOHN 2:1.

Let me, therefore, for a conclusion as to this, give you an exhortation to believe, to hope, and to expect that though you have sinned, (for now I speak to the fallen saint), Jesus Christ will make a good end with the "Trust," I say, "in him, and he shall bring it to pass."I know I put thee upon a hard and difficult task for believing and expecting good, when my guilty conscience doth nothing but clog, burden, and terrify me with the justice of God, the greatness of thy sins, and the burning torments is hard and sweating work. But it must be; the text calls for it, thy case calls for it, and thou must do it if thou wouldst glorify Christ; and this is the way to hasten the issue of thy cause in hand, for believing daunts the devil, pleaseth Christ, and will help thee beforehand to sing that song of the church, saying, "O Lord, thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul; thou hast redeemed my life" (Lam 3:58). Yea, believe, and hear thy pleading Lord say to thee, "Thus saith thy Lord the Lord, and thy God that pleadeth the cause of his people, Behold, I have taken out of thine hand the cup of trembling, even the dregs of the cup of my fury; thou shalt no more drink it again" (Isa 51:22). I am not here discoursing of the sweetness of Christ's nature but of the excellency of his offices and of his office of advocateship in particular, which, as a lawyer for his client, he is to execute in the presence of God for us. 

Love may be where there is no office, and so no power is to do us good; but now, when love and office shall meet, they will surely both combine in Christ to do the fallen Christian good. But of his love we have treated elsewhere; we will here discuss the office of this loving one. And for thy further information, let me tell thee that God thy Father counteth that thou wilt be when compared with his law, but a poor one all thy days; yea, the apostle tells thee so, in that he saith there is an Advocate provided for thee. When a father provides crutches for his child, he doth as good as say, I count that my child will be yet infirm; and when God shall provide an Advocate, he doth as good as say, My people are subject to infirmities. Do not, therefore, think of yourself above what, by plain texts and fair inferences drawn from Christ's offices, you are bound to think. What doth it bespeak concerning thee that Christ is always a priest in heaven, and there ever lives to make intercession for thee (Heb 7:24), but this, that thou art at the best in thyself, yea, and in thy best exercising of all thy graces too, but a poor, pitiful, sorry, sinful man; a man that would, when yet most holy, be certainly cast away, did not thy high priest take away for thee the iniquity of thy holy things? The age we live in is a wanton age; the godly are not as humble, low, and base in their own eyes as they should, though their daily experience calls for it, and the priesthood of Jesus Christ too.

But above all, the advocateship of Jesus Christ declares us to be sorry creatures, for that office does, as it were, predict that some time or other we shall basely fall and, by falling, be undone, if the Lord Jesus stands not up to plead. And as it shows this concerning us, so it shows concerning God that he will not lightly or easily lose his people. He has provided well for us—blood to wash us in; a priest to pray for us, that we may be made to persevere; and, in case we foully fall, an advocate to plead our cause and to recover us from under and out of all that danger, that by sin and Satan, we at any time may be brought into.

But having thus briefly passed through that in the text which I think the apostle must necessarily presuppose, I shall now endeavor to enter into the bowels of it and see what, in a more particular manner, shall be found therein. And, for my more profitable doing of this work, I shall choose to observe this method in my discourse

Works of John Bunyan – The Greatness of The Soul, And Unspeakableness 0f the Loss Thereof; What Shall A Man Give In Exchange For His Soul.93

 

THE METHOD OBSERVED IN THE DISCOURSE. FIRST, TO SPEAK OF THIS ADVOCATE'S OFFICE

First, By touching on the nature of this office

Second, By treating of the order or place of this office

Third, The occasion of this office, viz., some great sin.-Christ, as Advocate, pleads for a bad cause.-A good cause will plead for itself.-A bad man may have a good cause, and a good man may have a bad cause.-Christ, the righteous, pleading for a bad cause is a mystery.-The best saints are most sensible of their sins.-A pestilent passage of a preacher

SECOND, TO SHOW HOW CHRIST DOES MANAGE HIS OFFICE

First, How he manage his office of Advocate with the Father.-1. ALONE, not by any proxy or deputy.-2. Christ pleads at God's bar; the cause cannot be removed into another court.-If removed from heaven, we have no advocate on earth.-3. In pleading, Christ observes these rules: (1.) He grants us what is charged on us.-(2.) He pleads his own goodness for us.-He payeth all our debts down.-All mouths stopped, who would not have the sinner delivered.-(3.) Christ requires a verdict in order for our deliverance.-The sinner is delivered, God contented, Satan confounded, and Christ applauded

Second, How Christ manages his office of an Advocate against the adversary by argument.-1. He pleads the pleasure of his Father in his merits.-Satan rebuked for finding fault therewith.-2. He pleads God's interest in his people.-Haman's mishap in being engaged against the king's queen.-N. B. It seems a weak plea, because of man's unworthiness; but it is a strong plea, because of God's worthiness.-The elect are bound to God by a sevenfold cord.-The weight of the plea weighed

Third, Christ pleads his own interest in them.-A parallel between cattle in a pound and Christ's own sheep.-Six weighty reasons in this plea.-1. They are Christ's own.-2. They cost him dear.-3. He hath made them near to himself.-(a.) They are his spouse, his love, his dove; they are members of his body.-(b.) A man cannot spare a hand, a foot, a finger.-Nor can Christ spare any member.-4. Christ pleads his right in heaven to give it to whom he will.-Christ will; Satan will not; Christ's will stands.5. Christ pleads Satan's enmity against the godly.-Satan is the cause of the crimes he accuses us of.-A simile of a weak-witted child.-6. Christ can plead those sins of saints for them, for which Satan would have them damned.-Eight considerations to clear that.-Seven more considerations to the same end.Men care most for children who are infirm.-A father offended has been appeased by a brother-turning advocate

THIRD HEAD.-TO SHOW WHO HAVE CHRIST FOR AN ADVOCATE; WHEREIN ARE THREE THINGS CONTAINED

First, This office of advocate differs from that of a priest.-1. They differ in name.2. They differ in nature.-3. They differ as to their extent.-4. They differ as to the persons with whom they have to do.-5. They differ as to the matter about which they are employed.-6. Christ, as Priest, precedes; Christ, as Advocate, succeeds

Second, How far this office of an advocate is extended, in five particulars

Third, Who have Christ as their Advocate.-1. In general, all adopted children.-Object. The text saith, "If any man sin."-Answ. "Any man," is not any of the world; but any of the children of God.-A difference in children; some bigger than some.-Christ an Advocate for strong men.-2. In particular, to show if Christ is our Advocate-(1.) If one has entertained Christ to plead a cause.-Quest. How shall I know that?-Answ. By being sensible of an action commenced against thee in the high court of justice.-(2.) If one has revealed a cause to Christ.-An example of one revealing his cause to Christ, in a closet -In order to this, one must know Christ, (a.) To be a friend.-(b.) To be faithful.-(3.) If one has committed a cause to Christ.-In order to do this, one must be convinced, (a.) Of Christ's ability to defend him.-(b.) Of Christ's courage to plead a cause.-(c.) Of Christ's will for this work.-(d.) Of Christ's tenderness in case of his client's dullness.-(e.) Of Christ's unweariedness-(4.) If one waits till things come to a legal issue. What is it thus to wait?-Answ. (a.) To be of good courage; look for deliverance.-(b.) To keep his way in waiting.(c.) To observe his directions. (d) To hearken to further directions that may come from the advocate.-(e.) To come to no ill conclusion in waiting, viz., that the cause is lost, because one hears not from the court.-(f.) To wait waking, not sleeping.-Ordinances and ministers compared to a post house and carriers of letters The client's comfortable conclusion about his advocate and cause but yet doubting and desponding.-The author's reply to, and compliance with, the client's conclusion; and his counsel in the case

FOURTH HEAD-TO SHOWS THE CLIENT'S PRIVILEGES, BY THE BENEFIT OF THIS OFFICE OF ADVOCATE

First Privilege.-The Advocate pleads a price paid a rich brother and his poor brethren.-Of the ill-conditioned man, their enemy.-Further cleared by three considerations

Second Privilege.-The client's Advocate pleads for himself also; both are concerned in one bottom.-1. He pleads the price of his own blood.-2. He pleads it for his own simile of lame horse.-Of men going to law for a thing of little worth. I am but one.-Answ. Christ cannot lose one

Third Privilege. The plea of Satan is groundless.-Satan must be cast over the bar. a simile of a widow owing a sum of money an old law nulled1 by a new law -Satan pleads by the old law; Christ by the new

Fourth Privilege.-Is consequential; the client's accuser must needs be overthrown.-The client's solemn appeal to the Almighty.-In case the accused has no advocate, Satan prevails

Fifth Privilege: The Advocate has pity for his client and indignation against the accuser.-Men choose an advocate who hath a quarrel against their adversary

Sixth Privilege: The judge counts the accuser as his enemy.-To procure the judge's son to plead is desirable